The Funeral
by kateandharvey
Summary: Catherine attends Mary Beth's funeral... Or tries to, anyway.


A/N: I really wanted to write this because I've been reading all of the OSN fics, and there aren't enough! I just got this idea today, but this is my first fic for One Special Night, so please stick with me on the OOC-ness.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own "One Special Night" or any of its characters.

**The Funeral**

**Chapter 1**

**kateandharvey**

A funeral home always has an oddness about it. Whether it be the noise, the look, or even just the scent, they are unhappy places where no one ever wants to be. Catherine didn't really understand why exactly she was entering the funeral home that day. If he hadn't shown up for breakfast, why come to the funeral? She'd argued with herself for at least an hour before she'd gotten dressed, about how she should but shouldn't go. It was the most inappropriate place for her to be; At his dead wife's funeral, but her formal and proper side along with her heart had won over her brain and foolish pride. She'd convinced herself on the drive that she'd walk in and if she didn't find him immediately, she'd pay her respects quickly and make a hasty retreat. But as she entered the room in which Mary Beth's body lay, she realized that it wouldn't be so easy, as this was the first funeral she'd been to since Tom's a year prior.

As soon as she came to the realization, she'd turned and walked out of the room, the building, and back to her car in the far corner of the parking lot. "This is ridiculous." She murmured to herself, digging her jingling car keys from her large purse.

As she was unlocking the door to her SUV, she heard a gruff voice from behind her. "That isn't exactly the word I'd use, but I suppose you would, wouldn't you?"

She turned with a start, and seeing him standing there did nothing to ease her fears, only replacing the ones of getting robbed or hurt with the ones of having to force an awkward conversation. She faked anger to exit the situation before it began, "Robert! You scared me half to death!"

He chuckled bitterly, "That seems to be going around."

She instantly realized her mistake in the choosing of her words, and squeezed her eyes shut for only a split second. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."

"I know." Hands in his pockets, he took a step forward. "Why did you come, Catherine?"

"I..." She trailed off, why did she come? "I just wanted to be a good friend, is all."

His eyebrows raised, "When did you go from hating my guts to wanting to be friends?"

She ran a hand through her hair as a distraction, and then shook her head, "I have to go, Robert. I have responsibilities, people who-"

"-Depend on you, I know." He interrupted.

The anger she was feeling flashed in her eyes. "If it was any other day, I'd have a few choice words for you at your rudeness, but I'll spare you." She opened her door, and got in her car. Her key was already in the ignition, and she was applying her buckle when she continued, "Goodbye, Robert." As she went to roll up her window, he stopped her.

"Catherine, please. Don't..."

"It's _cold _Robert, and we have nothing more to discuss." The window was rapidly going up, and he was fearing he'd miss his chance.

He ran around the car to the passenger side, and in a split second he was in the passenger side of her vehicle. She groaned, "Robert! Get out."

"I'm not getting out until we discuss what your problem is."

"_My_ problem?" She questioned, "What about _your_ problem?" She sighed, calming down some. "Look, I don't want to have this conversation with you right now. This isn't the time, or the place."

He pulled out a pen and paper while she was talking, and after jotting something down he thrust the scrap into her hand. "One month from now," He began, "One month, you come over and have dinner with us. One month. New Years Eve, we'll say. Alright? Four thirty, dinner will be served at five."

"Robert..." She sighed.

"I'm serious." He nodded towards the piece of paper. "That's my number. Call it every two weeks, and leave a message. Just so I know you're still here."

Weakly, she nodded, and he exited the car. As she drove away and back home, he yelled. "One month, Catherine!"

And she realized that she'd never offered him condolences on his wife.

* * *

She shook her head as she held the phone, and was punching in the number she now knew by heart. She didn't know why she'd agreed to dinner, or why she was calling him now, but she pushed the call button, and listened to the ringing.

"Hello?"

Her heart dropped, it was a woman's voice. And it wasn't one of the girls. "Hello, um... Is Robert available?"

"Uh, no. I'm afraid he's a little..." The woman chuckled softly. "Busy, at the moment."

Catherine could feel her heart breaking inside of her chest. "A-alright..."

"Did you want me to give him a message?"

"No, no. It's fine. Um, thank you... Goodbye." Catherine hung up without waiting for a response, and then she sat, and let the tears pour from her eyes.

As she sat in front of the picture window of her large home, she rubbed her ring finger. She'd taken off her wedding ring earlier, determined to move on. As much as she loved Tom, she... she loved Robert now too. She didn't understand when exactly she'd fallen in love with him, but it had happened. She thought he felt the same way for a while, and then passed it off on the fact that his wife had died just under a month ago. Apparently, he did love again... It just wasn't her.

* * *

She'd decided earlier that morning that she was definitely _not _going to dinner, and with her having the day off, she'd wore pajamas around her house all day. Deciding that she'd just watch the ball drop and have an evening in by herself. She had been in a bad mood ever since her chat with Robert's gal pal a few days prior, so most people were avoiding her. The telemarketers only called once, as she'd be rude and down right mean to them the first time the phone rang. She was very unlike herself, very angry at the world. So when there was a knock on her front door, she was less than pleased.

She decided to just let them knock, as they were most likely going to try and sell her something she didn't want anyway, but the knocking continued. She groaned, and walked over to the door. Yanking in open, she began her greeting with, "Excuse me, but are you illiterate? The sign _clearly _says, 'No-" Her voice escaped her as she looked at the man before her. "Robert." She breathed.

He opened the screen without asking for an invitation inside, and shut the door behind him. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Excuse _me_?" She questioned in her authoritative tone that usually made anyone back down from her.

"You're excused." Her growled, "Do you know what time it is?"

She checked the clock on the wall behind him, "Six o'clock."

"Yes," He nodded, "Six o'clock, Catherine!"

She shrugged, "So?" She walked into the living room and took her seat on the couch.

He followed, and stood in the center of the room, looking at her. "So? Did you forget out dinner plans?"

"No," She shook her head, "I remember."

He threw his arms up in irritation. "Then _why _are you still here?"

"Why are _you _here, Robert?" She spit.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Isn't your lady friend waiting for you to get home so you can kiss her at midnight, and sweep her off her feet? Hmm?"

"What? What lady friend?" He was extremely confused.

Catherine scrunched her face up and mocked, "Oh, Robert? He's a little... hahahahaha, busy at the moment." She didn't even want to talk to him, so she picked up her tea cup and stormed off to the kitchen.

As she suspected, he followed. His eyes wide, he watched her as she piddled. "That was _you_ on the phone?"

She nodded, turning angrily towards him. "Yes, Robert. It was me."

To her horror, he started chuckling. "You're jealous of Robin?"

"I don't want to play this stupid, Howard... Millie game with you right now, Robert."

He shook his head, "Robin is my sister. She's the one that answered the phone."

"You're dating your sister?" Her brow furrowed.

"No," He shook his head. "I couldn't come to the phone that day because my hands were glued together. I was trying to build a bird house with Michael, and the glue stuck to my fingers. That's why she was laughing." She didn't respond, so he moved closer to her, and pinned her to the counter. "The only person I want to kiss at midnight..." He whispered, "Is you."

And his lips covered hers for a split second before they departed. "You're going to have to make it up to them, you know."

"Who?"

"Lori, Jaclyn, and especially Michael. They all cooked dinner for you tonight." Her eyes grew wide.

"Oh, my! I'm so sorry, Robert, I didn't even..."

"Come to dinner tomorrow, then."


End file.
